1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a controller which controls the running condition, for example, of a model of a motor vehicle (also called a model vehicle) which serves as an object to be operated (also called an operated object).
2. Description of Related Art
As a conventional controller, there has hitherto been known the following. Namely, a controller for a model vehicle, for example, contains therein actuators such as an electric motor for rotating wheels, an electric motor for steering, or the like. These actuators are connected to a receiver which is contained inside the model vehicle. A signal is wirelessly transmitted through media of radio waves or infrared rays from a controller which is set at a distance to thereby manually control the operations such as the speed, the steering angle, back and forth movement or the like of the model vehicle.
There is also known one which contains inside a model vehicle a memory means instead of a receiver. The model vehicle is traveled in accordance with a motion pattern which is stored in advance in the memory means, whereby an automatic operation of the model vehicle is performed.
In the above-described conventional controller in which the motion of the operated object is wirelessly controlled, the motion of the operated object largely varies depending on the operating capacity of an operator who operates or manipulates the controller. In other words, an operator skilled in the operation will be able to perform various kinds of operations, but an unskilled operator will be able to perform only limited kinds of simple and monotonous operations. As a result, the unskilled operator will soon lose his or her interest in the operation before he gets well acquainted with the operation. It follows that the operated object with a capability of performing wide variety of operations cannot be given chances of availing itself of its functions.
In case the operated object contains therein a control unit for performing an automatic operation, the operated object can be subject to complicated motions that cannot be attained by an unskilled operator. However, since the control unit must be contained inside the operated object, the freedom of design of the operated object is limited.
In view of the above-described disadvantages, the present invention has an object of providing a controller which even an unskilled operator can operate in a complicated manner without losing the freedom in design of the operated object.
In order to attain the above and other objects, the present invention is a controller for use with an operated object having a movable part and a receiver contained therein, the controller being operated to wirelessly transmit a signal to the receiver to thereby control an operation of the operated body. The controller comprises: memory means for storing in advance a signal to be transmitted to the receiver, the signal stored in the memory means being adapted to be transmitted to the receiver to perform an automatic control mode for controlling the movable part of the operated body. By containing the memory means inside the controller, the operated object can be automatically operated like in the conventional controller without the change in design.
Preferably, the controller further comprises a manual operation unit for performing a manual operation mode in which the movable part of the operated body is sequentially controlled, wherein the memory means stores a signal in a form of a manual operation procedure by the manual operation unit, the signal in the form of the manual operation mode being adapted to be transmitted to the receiver to perform a reproducing mode in which an operation at the time of manual operation mode is reproduced. The complicated motions can thus be easily stored in the memory means.
Furthermore, preferably the controller also comprises a display unit for displaying the signal stored in the memory means without transmitting the signal to the receiver, thereby performing a simulation mode in which a content of the signal is confirmed by means of display. The content of the operation can thus be checked without actually operating the operated object.